Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature

Last updated
Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature
22nd Legislature
Seal of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg
Type
Type
Houses Senate
House of Representatives
Leadership
Dennis C. Mendiola (R)
since January 13, 2025
Edmund Villagomez (I)
since January 13, 2021
Structure
Seats29 voting members
  • 9 senators
  • 20 representatives
23rd Legislature - Northern Mariana Islands Senate.svg
Senate political groups
  •   Republican (4)
  •   Independent (3)
  •   Democratic (2)
  •   Coalition
23rd Legislature - Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives.svg
House of Representatives political groups
Length of term
 Senate 4 years
House 2 years
Elections
Last Senate election
November 8, 2022
(6 seats)
November 8, 2022
Next Senate election
November 5, 2024
(3 seats)
November 5, 2024

The Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature is the territorial legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The legislative branch of the territory is bicameral, consisting of a 20-member lower House of Representatives, and an upper house Senate with nine senators. Representatives serve two-year terms and senators serve four-year terms, both without term limits. The territorial legislature meets in the commonwealth capital of Saipan.

Contents

Similar to the United States Congress, the Senate seats are divided into three districts (three seats each) whose boundaries are identical to those of the municipalities (except that the barely inhabited Northern Islands is incorporated with Saipan). The Constitution provides for the creation of a fourth district for the Northern Islands when the population exceeds 1,000. [1] The Senate seats are divided into two classes, similar to the classes of senators in the United States, with one class consisting of a single senator from each district, and the second class consisting of two senators from each district. In the first election after the ratification of the Constitution, the senator with the third-highest number of votes held their seat for two years. [1] Requirements for senator are a minimum age of 25, residence in the Commonwealth for five years, and a registered voter in the district represented. The Constitution permits a higher residence requirement to be legislated.

The House seats are elected from seven districts. Two districts have one seat each, one for Rota and the other for Tinian and Aguiguan. The remaining five districts elect multiple members, three with two members, and two with six members, and are all located on Saipan, with one also including the Northern Islands. The Constitution provides for the Northern Islands to be a separate district when the population exceeds the number of people represented by any Representative. [1] Reapportionment occurs every 10 years following the census. Requirements for Representative are a minimum age of 21, residence in the Commonwealth for three years, and a registered voter in the district represented. As with the Senate, the Constitution permits the Legislature to enact a higher residence requirement.

The Legislature also has a youth congress, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Youth Congress. [2] [3]

The official flag of the Northern Mariana Islands Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg
The official flag of the Northern Mariana Islands

History

The modern legislature was created under Secretarial Order No. 2989 by federal Interior Secretary Thomas S. Kleppe effective April 1, 1976, replacing the less autonomous Mariana Islands District Legislature. The cabinet-level order reorganized local government in the commonwealth to reflect its greater self-government, which had established a political union with the United States in the previous year under a public plebiscite.

The Commonwealth was officially established in January 1978, and as the constitution prescribed, the first House of Representatives had 14 members (12 from Saipan). Over the years, as permitted by the constitution, House membership was increased to 20 (18 from Saipan) beginning with the 16th Legislature in 2008, the Constitutional maximum. [1]

The Northern Mariana Islands' election calendar was one of the few political divisions in the United States where general elections were held in odd-numbered years (along with Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia). After a non-voting delegate position was created in the United States Congress for the NMI in January 2009 and its election held in November 2008, a referendum was approved in the 2009 elections changing elections to even-numbered years by delaying the 2011 elections and lengthened all political terms by one year.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of the Northern Mariana Islands</span>

Politics of the Northern Mariana Islands takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic system, whereby the Governor is head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. The Northern Mariana Islands is an unincorporated territory of the United States, and in a political union with it in the form of a commonwealth. Executive power is exercised by the governor. Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the legislature. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Local government is carried out through four regional mayors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Party of the Northern Mariana Islands</span> Political party in the Northern Mariana Islands

The Democratic Party of the Northern Mariana Islands is a political party in the Northern Mariana Islands. It began as a purely local territorial party and is now officially affiliated with the United States' national Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 Northern Mariana Islands general election</span>

The 2005 Northern Mariana Islands general election was held on Saturday, 5 November 2005. Voters in the Northern Mariana Islands voted for the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, the non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives, attorney general, 6 seats in the Northern Mariana Islands Senate, all eighteen seats in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives, 3 mayors, seats for the municipal council, seats for the board of education, 2 justices, and a judges. There was also a referendum on calling a Constitutional Convention, which was approved by voters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives</span> Lower house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature

The Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives is the lower house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Mariana Islands Senate</span> Upper house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature

The Northern Mariana Islands Senate is the upper house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. The Senate consists of nine senators representing three senatorial districts, each a multi-member constituency with three senators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Northern Mariana Islands general election</span>

The 2007 Northern Mariana Islands general election was held on Saturday, 3 November 2007. Voters in the Northern Mariana Islands voted for 3 seats in the Northern Mariana Islands Senate, all twenty seats in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives, seats for the municipal council, seats for the board of education, a justice, and 3 judges. Additionally, 4 referendums were held.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 United States House of Representatives election in Northern Mariana Islands</span>

The Northern Mariana Islands' first election of a delegate to the United States House of Representatives took place on November 4, 2008. Since the CNMI traditionally had general elections in odd-numbered years, the November 2008 ballot contained only this office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregorio Sablan</span> Northern Mariana Islander politician (born 1955)

Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan is a Northern Mariana Islander politician and former election commissioner. Elected in 2008, Sablan became the first delegate to the United States House of Representatives from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Northern Mariana Islands general election</span>

General elections were held in the Northern Mariana Islands on Saturday, November 7, 2009. Voters in the Northern Mariana Islands voted for the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, 6 seats in the Northern Mariana Islands Senate, all twenty seats in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives, 4 mayors, seats for the municipal council, and seats for the board of education. Additionally, a referendum was held.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnold Palacios</span> Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands since 2023

Arnold Indalecio Palacios is a Northern Marianan politician currently serving as the tenth governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, since 2023. He previously served as the 12th lieutenant governor of the Northern Mariana Islands from 2019 to 2023. He represented Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands Senate. Elected to the governorship as an independent, Palacios rejoined the Republican Party in December 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Northern Mariana Islands general election</span>

The 2012 Northern Mariana Islands general election were held on Tuesday, 6 November 2012. The election coincided with the 2012 United States general elections. Voters in the Northern Mariana Islands voted for the non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives, 3 seats in the Northern Mariana Islands Senate, all twenty seats in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives, 4 mayors, seats for the municipal council, seats for the board of education, and 2 judges. Additionally, three referendums were held.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Northern Mariana Islands general election</span>

General elections were held in the Northern Mariana Islands on Tuesday, 4 November 2014. The elections coincided with the 2014 United States midterm elections. Voters in the Northern Mariana Islands voted for the governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, the non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives, attorney general, 6 seats in the Northern Mariana Islands Senate, all twenty seats in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives, 4 mayors, seats for the municipal council, and seats for the board of education. Additionally, a referendum involving changes to the constitution was held.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angel Demapan</span> Northern Mariana Islands politician

Angel Aldan Demapan is a Northern Mariana Islands politician affiliated with the Republican Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Northern Mariana Islands general election</span>

The 2018 Northern Mariana Islands general election were held on Tuesday, 13 November 2018. Originally scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 6 November 2018, to correspond with the 2018 United States midterm elections, the elections were delayed by one week due to the impact and aftermath of Typhoon Yutu. Early voting was held from Tuesday, 6 November, until Monday, 12 November 2018. An estimated 18,975 voters were eligible to vote in the 2018 election.

Luis John Deleon Guerrero Castro is a Chamorro-American politician and a former member of the 21st Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives. A former member of youth government in the early 2000s, he entered the civic arena by winning a seat in the local municipal government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Northern Mariana Islands general election</span>

The 2016 Northern Mariana Islands general election were held on Tuesday, 8 November, 2016. The election coincided with the 2016 United States general elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Northern Mariana Islands general election</span>

The 2020 Northern Mariana Islands general election were held on Tuesday, 3 November 2020, corresponding with the 2020 United States general elections. Voters in the Northern Mariana Islands voted for the non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives, 3 seats in the Northern Mariana Islands Senate, all twenty seats in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives, seats for the municipal council, seats for the board of education, 1 justice, and 2 judges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 Northern Mariana Islands general election</span>

The 2003 Northern Mariana Islands general election was held on Monday, 3 November 2003, electing members to the legislature. The 2003 elections also marked the first general election that the dissolved Reform Party, which merged back into the Democratic Party in 2002, would not appear on the ballot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 Northern Mariana Islands general election</span>

The 2001 Northern Mariana Islands general election was held on Saturday, 3 November 2001, electing the governor and members to the legislature. The 2001 elections marked the last general election that the dissolved Reform Party, which merged back into the Democratic Party in 2002, would appear on the ballot. Despite the economic hardships experienced under Pedro Pangelinan Tenorio's Administration, the apparent strength the 1999 general elections signaled that the Democratic Party and its splinter Reform Party had, and the newly formed Covenant Party which was formed as a splinter party from the ruling Republican Party, Republican candidate Juan Nekai Babauta won with a landslide in the four-way race. Benigno Repeki Fitial's newly formed Covenant Party landed a distant yet sizable second place. Jesus Borja of the Democratic Party won a distant third and Froilan Tenorio of the Reform Party placed fourth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1999 Northern Mariana Islands general election</span>

The 1999 Northern Mariana Islands general election was held on Saturday, 6 November 1999. Voters in the Northern Mariana Islands voted for 3 seats in the Northern Mariana Islands Senate, all eighteen seats in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives, seats for the municipal council, and seats for the board of education, and a judge. There were also 4 other legislative initiatives, 2 of which were voted on by all CNMI voters, while 1 was voted on only by Rota voters and 1 only by Tinian voters.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Constitution of the Northern Marianas Islands" (PDF). gov.mp. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2013-06-30.
  2. ↑ "Youth Congress". Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature. Archived from the original on 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2011-11-15.
  3. ↑ http://www.cnmileg.gov.mp/resources/files/Public_Law_17-22_CNMI_Youth_Congress_Reform_Act_of_2010%281%29.pdf Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine [ bare URL PDF ]
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